Coronavirus cases in Bangladesh rose to 15,691 on Monday as a record number of 1,034 new patients were detected in the last 24 hours, according to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

“Today our daily count topped 1,000 for the first time…. 1,034 new patients were detected with COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. Besides, 11 more deaths were reported during the period, taking the death toll in the country to 239,” Additional Director General of DGHS Prof Dr Nasima Sultana said at its daily online briefing.

In the past 24 hours, 7,208 samples were tested in 37 PCR labs across the country.

Among the deceased five were male and six were female. "Their age distribution is as follows -- one aged between 71 and 80, one between 61 and 70, four between 51 and 60, two between 41 and 50, two between 31 and 40 and one more between 21 and 30," Dr Nasima added.

Source:IEDCR

Eight of the dead were from Dhaka, two from Chattogram and one was from Rangpur.

In hospitals across the country, 252 patients made recovery in the last 24 hours.

Dr Nasima noted that the COVID-19 mortality rate is still below two percent.  "Data from the latest report show that the recovery rate is 18.52 percent while mortality rate is 1.52 percent," she said. 

In the last 24 hours, 183 people were taken to isolation. Currently, 2,235 people are in isolation across the county.

During the period, 2,360 people were home and institutionally quarantined.

Dr Nasima urged the infected people to stay put and take care of themselves.

"I request the patients not to lose hope and to stay positive. If you're staying mentally strong then your immunity will have a positive impact, too. You’ve to take nutritious food," she said. 

Dr Nasima mentioned that one new PCR testing lab in Abdul Malek Ukil Medical College has started operating.